In Bargny and other coastal villages of Senegal, traditional fishing and processing of the catch is a livelihood and a pride. Methods have been passed down through generations. Women work as processors — drying, smoking, salting and fermenting the catch brought home by men.

These women like to say they were baptized by fish. But the pandemic devastated this industry that employs hundreds of thousands. Families lacked savings; they struggled for meals. Then, late last month, a true fishing season began, with the catch coming off vast colorful boats and women again processing. It's bringing renewed hope, even as challenges remain and women want their voices heard for change.

Here are some of the women in the community and their stories:

Ndeye Yacine Dieng, 64

“We speak to all the women of the world to stand up and take their destiny in their hands.”

The mother of seven children, Dieng’s profession was inherited from her mother and her grandmother and she is proud of being a woman fish processor. She says that COVID-19 has changed her work and life, and it has deeply impacted the local economy. Dieng calls to the world and especially to African women, to stand up for their work.

Marieto Diop, 37

“I am proud of being a worker woman. We are brave women.”

Diop learned the profession of fish processing from her mother. The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected her job. During the holy month of Ramadan every morning she goes to work to help her two children and her family.

Roukaya Cisse, 27

“It was difficult to stay at home without going out.”

Cisse’s mother taught her the job and today she works with her mother and sister as female fish processor. Cisse, who is married and has two kids.

The series is funded by the European Journalism Centre's European Development Journalism Grants program, which is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AP is responsible for all content.

Ndeye Daour Diouf, 45

“During the COVID (outbreak) I didn’t work and I had to stay at my house. My husband went to the sea to catch some fish but sometimes he didn’t get anything”.

Married with a fisherman and mother of seven, fish processor Diouf was forced to take care of the house, the children, and send one of her daughters to work as house cleaner to get some money to buy some food and pay small debts.

Maimuna Faye, 32

“I’m here to work not to talk. I’m in peace.”

During the outbreak Faye, a widow and mother of four children, needed the help of people and friends to buy food to eat.

Rokhaya Samba, 55

“It’s important because it is what helps me to feed my children, to pay for their education and to help others in my family who don’t have a job.”

Samba has been working for two decades in fish processing. She is the mother of six children, and works with one of her daughters in the processing site.

Amsatou Diouf, 48

“It's a very heavy work but we do it with a lot of courage, with a lot of pride.”

Married and mother of five children, Diouf started learning the profession with her mother before the age of 18.

Siny Gueye, 42

“Covid arrived and has changed the life.”

The mother of three girls, Gueye has been working as a fish processor all her life, and never thought that a disease like COViD-19 would affect her town and all the country. Her husband couldn’t go fishing and they had nothing to buy food for their children.

Safimata Cisse, 46

“If there are fish, I work. That’s good and I can earn some money to take home.”

Cisse is a fish processor and a married and mother of six children. She learned her craft with her family. During the virus outbreak she couldn’t work, the borders were closed and people from Burkina Faso and other places didn’t come to buy the fish. But now, the borders are opened and the fishermen are catching the fish.

Aissatou Diouf, 43

Diouf said that during the outbreak she couldn’t work and only survived “with the help of God.”

Diouf started to process fish at the age of 11. A job she learned from her mother and older sister.

Fatou Samba, 56

They are workers, family leaders, “all over the world, and in Africa, women are fighters.”

Samba is the president of the association of female fish processors. She has never imagined that one day people could suffer so badly with something like the pandemic, calls for the support of women because they “are the pillars of all development”. She is a mother of six children who has been working in favor of the fishing community against the impact of big industry.

Photos by Léo Correa